Ice Age Anthology
by bluecatcinema
Summary: A series of stories, set in the world of Ice Age.
1. Rescue or Ransom?

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter One: Rescue or Ransom?**

The land bridge lay in ruins. The gathered mammals looked on in shock, none more so then the mammoths Ellie and Peaches.

"We were supposed to meet dad here." Peaches despaired. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, honey." Ellie admitted.

"That's it." Groaned a Start. "We're dead!"

The Start wasn't far off in his assumption. The stone wall had stopped moving, but with the land bridge destroyed, the mammals had nowhere to go.

"Ahoy there!" Called a voice from the mist.

"Did you hear that, or am I going nuts?" The possum Crash asked his brother, Eddie.

"Maybe we're both going nuts!" Eddie gasped.

"Look!" Ellie pointed with her trunk.

Something was coming out of the mist, straight towards them. It was an iceberg. Several scruffy-looking animals were riding atop it.

"Ahoy!" Bellowed a large monkey. "Need a lift?"

The mammals were put off by their would-be rescuers' appearances, but quickly decided they weren't in a position to be picky.

"Yes, thank you!" Ellie called.

"Well then, all aboard." The monkey smiled.

In due time, all the mammals had boarded the iceberg.

"Thanks for the help." Ellie smiled at the monkey, Peaches smiling behind her. "I don't know what we would have done without you!"

"It was nothing." The monkey smiled. "Oh, where are my manners? I am Captain Gutt."

"I'm Ellie." Ellie replied. "And this is my daughter, Peaches."

"Hi." Peaches waved her trunk.

"A pleasure." Gutt bowed. "Now, pardon my directness, but do either of you lovely ladies happen to know a mammoth by the name of Manny?"

"Yes!" Peaches piped up. "He's my dad!"

"You've seen him?" Ellie asked.

"Oh, yes." Gutt nodded. "In fact, I happen to know he's on his way here right now."

Ellie and Peaches cheered and hugged each other.

"Oh, that's what I like to see." Gutt smiled, before turning to Peaches. "Now, I think it would fitting if we arranged a little 'welcome home' party for your daddy."

Gutt nodded to his first mate Squint, who, quick as a flash, wrapped vines around Ellie.

"What are you-!" Ellie struggled.

"Hey, you can't do that to my mom!" Peaches lunged forward.

"Raz?" Gutt asked nochalantly.

In response, the kangaroo pulled a load of weapons out of her pouch, and threw them to her crewmates. Gutt caught a swordfish skeleton, and used it to hold Peaches at bay.

"Now, then." Gutt turned to the other mammals. "The lot of you will be going over there."

Gutt pointed out a small landmass across the water. With their assailants armed, none of the mammals were brave enough to resist.

"Now all we have to do is wait." Gutt sneered. "When that mammoth and his friends get here, they're as good as sharkbait."

"No." Declared Shira, Gutt's former first mate, as she stepped forward. "I'm not going to let you do this."

"Let me?" Gutt repeated increduously. "I don't recall asking you permission!"

Snarling, Shira leapt at Gutt, who struck her with a powerful backhand. Shira flew in the direction of Raz, who kicked her with both feet. Shira landed roughly, and just as she was about to get up, she was tackled by Boris. She tried to get up again, but failed, collapsing on the ice.

"Shall we finish her, Cap'n?" Squint asked hopefully.

"Not yet." Gutt sneered. "First we deal with the mammoth, then the traitor."

"Peaches!" Came the voice of Manny on the wind.

"Speak of the devil." Gutt chuckled. "Now, the fun begins!"

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	2. Karma

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Two: Karma**

Not too far out from the continent, a small chunk of ice and stone stood out in the water. It was occupied by four sloths. They had attempted to escape the breakup of the continent, even dumping their Granny on Sid, a relative whom they had earlier abandoned, in an effort to remove "dead weight". It had all been for naught, however; As the ground broke apart, the log they had been using for propulsion ended up lodged in a piece of ice which fell into the ocean.

Now, Milton, Eunice, Marshall, and Uncle Fungus were stranded, their miniature island floating across the ocean. It was the nighttime, the light of the full moon reflecting off the water, making everything bright.

"I'm freezing!" Marshall complained.

"We're all freezing, son." Milton pointed.

"Well, I'm freezing-_er_!" Marshall pouted.

"Hey, what's that?" Uncle Fungus pointed at something in the distance.

It looked like a moving iceberg, heading in their direction. As it got closer, they saw it was carrying several mammals. Lifting a makeshift telescope (which had been pulled out of the water), Eunice spotted Sid among them.

"It's Sid!" Eunice cheered. "We're saved! Everybody, wave!"

The sloth family made as much noise and movement as they could.

On the iceberg, most of the passengers were asleep, but Sid had found himself unable to do so, thanks to the reflected moonlight. As he stared into the sea, he saw his family waving and calling for him.

"Mom? Dad?" Sid asked. "Marshall? Uncle Fungus? I don't believe it! I'm so happy to see... _Waiiiit_ a minute, I'm not falling for that again!"

Picking up some loose chunks of ice, Sid began flinging them across the water.

"Get outta here, ya lousy sirens!" Sid yelled. "Your illusions won't work on me this time!"

One of the ice chunks hit Marshall right on the head.

"Oww!" He yelped. "Mom, Sid's throwin' stuff at us!"

"I can see that, dear." Eunice grumbled.

"Fine!" Sid declared. "If you're not going to go away, then I'm not going to look at you!"

Crossing his arms, Sid turned his back on the "sirens". As he did, Granny (Who, unbeknownst to Sid, had been awake the whole time) waved sarcastically at them.

"Teach you to abandon an old lady." She muttered under her breath.

The sloth family watched as the iceberg floated away.

"Great idea, Eunice." Uncle Fungus said suddenly. "Find Sid and dump the old bat on him. It worked out _sooo_ well, didn't it?"

Eunice didn't say a word. Instead, she pushed her rank-smelling relation into the water.

"Aaah!" Uncle Fungus gasped as his head breached the surface. "Someone get me out of here! Seriously, I'm gettin' all _clean_! Ugh!"

"Maybe we should have dumped him on Sid, instead." Marshall told his parents.

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	3. Reflection

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Three: Reflection**

The night after the herd finally arrived at their new home, Manny the mammoth was thinking about his life, reflecting on the experiences that had brought him there.

He had a fairly normal childhood, growing up in a standard mammoth herd, with loving parents. As he hit his teen years, he fell in love with a beautiful female. Her name was Penny, and Manny had never seen such a vision of loveliness in his entire life. Penny felt the same way about him, and the two began courting, Before long, she bore him a son, Donny. Donny was a bright, fun-loving boy who adored his father. Manny had never felt so happy. But, all too soon, tragedy struck. The herd was attacked by human hunters. Manny was kept at bay by the humans' spears, while the others cornered Penny and Donny, and killed them by having their friends throw down rocks from above.

That was the single worst day of Manny's life. The pain he felt over the loss of his family was too much for him. He left the herd and headed north, away from all the migrating animals, wanting nothing more then to be alone, so he would never come to care about anyone ever again, and thus never risk feeling such pain again.

But it would seem fate had other plans in store for Manny. He soon crossed paths with Sid the sloth, and not long after, the human baby Roshan and the sabre Diego. Together, they set out to return Roshan to his fellow humans. As the journey continued, Manny, against his will, found himself starting to care about his companions. First Roshan, then Sid, and even Diego, whom Manny had suspected from the beginning of wanting the baby for his own means. Manny even risked his own life to save Diego's, in spite of his suspicions. When the sabre confessed his original intentions, Manny felt betrayed. However, the impending ambush from the sabre's fellow pack members left Manny with no choice but to trust Diego, who would later prove his worth by seemingly sacrificing himself protecting Manny from an attack by Soto, the pack's leader. For a while, it looked like Manny had lost another person he had cared about, but thankfully, it was not be; Diego returned to them right after they brought the baby to his father, and the three friends travelled south together.

Though Manny's heart had been softened by these experiences, the memory of his lost family continued to weigh heavily on him. When he met Ellie, his friends were quick to suggest a pairing. Manny resisted for two reasons, the first being a fear of gaining a family and losing it once again, and the second being that he felt it would be an insult to Penny's memory (The thought of their species being on the edge of extinction didn't help either way). Eventually, Manny and Ellie realised their mutual attraction, and became mates.

However, their pairing soon brought about another problem. When Ellie fell pregnant, Manny became wildly-overprotective, again filled with the fear of once again losing a child. This fear continued even after Peaches was born. Manny was so afraid of losing his daughter, as he had lost his son, that he was often quite strict with her, wanting to keep her in his sights at all times. No matter how old she got, he still kept a constrictive vigil over her, which Peaches came to resent during her teen years.

When the breaking of the continent seperated them, Manny feared he had lost another family. These fears almost came true when Captain Gutt held Ellie and Peaches hostage, hoping to exact revenge against Manny for destroying his ship. In the ensuing battle, Peaches would surprise her father by using her tree-swinging skills (inherited from her mother) to knock Gutt for a loop. It was then that Manny realised that she was no longer a baby to be protected, but a strong independant adult, one fully capable of looking after herself. With that in mind, he deigned to give her more freedom when they arrived at their new home. He would always worry about her, as all fathers did for their young, but now he knew his fears were groundless, and that Peaches could take care of herself.

Manny looked around, casting his eyes on the sleeping forms of his mate and daughter, hanging by their tails from a nearby tree. It seemed like an eternity had passed since he had felt this happy. Though he would always hold the memory of his first family in his heart, he would not let their fate govern his feelings for his new family. And by "family", he wasn't just thinking of Ellie and Peaches, but Sid, Diego and all the others. They were all part of the herd, part of the family, and Manny cared for them as he did his mate and daughter.

On that dark day, so many years ago, he had lost everything he held dear. Now, he had regained all that he had lost, and so much more. It struck Manny as ironic that he could feel this happy, considering he once believed, in his darkest of hours, that he would never be happy again.

Smiling, Manny fell into a deep, blissful sleep.

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	4. Introductions

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Four: Introductions**

Shira was curled up on a patch of grass. She was having trouble sleeping. She had spent so much time at sea that she was having trouble getting used to sleeping on dry land.

To pass the time, she reflected on the events of the earlier day. She remembered the moment when she was officially introduced to the rest of the herd. She remembered feeling nervous. She couldn't recall the last time she had felt so nervous. After everything that had happened, it was crucial to make a good impression. After what had happened with the last two groups she had belonged to, Shira wasn't sure she could handle rejection, no matter how unlikely the prospect was.

_"Everyone, this is Shira." Diego told Ellie, Peaches, Louis, Crash and Eddie._

_"We've already met." Ellie smiled. "Thanks for trying to help me out back there."_

_"No problem." Shira smiled back._

_"Hi, I'm Peaches." The teen mammoth grinned. "Nice to meet you. You're the first sabre I've seen since uncle Diego here."_

_"Uncle?" Shira asked._

_"Honorary, actually." Diego shrugged. "Manny insisted. He said it was the least he could do after I helped deliver her."_

_"Deliver?" Shira sniggered. "Oh, that's rich - midwife softie!"_

_"Ha ha, very funny." Diego retorted sourly. He then pointed in the direction of the opossum brothers "Anyway, these are Crash and Eddie."_

_"Hey." Shira nodded._

_"A lady sabre, huh?" Crash smirked._

_"Diego, you dog!" Eddie snickered, nudging the embarassed sabre._

_"I don't know what you're talking about." Said the shifty-eyed Diego as he shoved Eddie away._

_Chuckling at Diego's behaviour, Shira spotted Louis._

_"And who are you, little guy?" She asked._

_"Uh, w-well..." Louis stuttered, his eyes clearly focused on Shira's teeth._

_"This is Louis." Peaches stepped. "You'll have to forgive him. He's a little shy around... strangers."_

_"It's okay." Shira sighed. "I get it. I'm a sabre. A pirate sabre. I understand if some of you don't feel comfortable around me."_

_"If Diego trusts you, we trust you." Ellie smiled. "Right, Louis?"_

_Peaches nudged Louis with her trunk. With that incentive, Louis looked up into Shira's eyes. Noticing the same nervous quality in them that his usually had, he relaxed._

_"Right." Louis smiled._

_"Thanks, shorty." Shira grinned, ruffling the fur on top of his head with her paw._

_"I told you." Diego nudged Shira gently. "A herd looks out for each other. We stick together, no matter what."_

_"I think I'm starting to get it." Shira nudged him back._

Returning her mind to the present, the now-drowsy Shira looked over at Diego, who was sleeping not too far from her. Diego, who had offered her a place in this wonderful herd, a herd that had accepted her without a second thought.

"Thanks, softie." She whispered softly, before finally falling asleep.

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	5. Adrift

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Five: Adrift**

Out in the ocean, a small chunk of ice drifted across the waves, carrying the remnants of a once mighty pirate crew. After they had been blasted into the ocean by a giant whale, they had found this piece of ice. After climbing on, they were joined by Squint, (for some reason looked badly squished, who leapt down from a cliff above. watched the rest of the battle against their enemies unfold. After seeing Gutt and the Mammoth skid down the land on a chunk of rock, they feared the worst. Their fears were confirmed when the mammoth returned, riding the whale, no less. There could only be one possible reason for the mammoth's continued existence, impossible though it was. With no captain, and no way to fight such overwhelming odds, the pirates, using Flynn as momentum, retreated into the ocean.

"What do we do now?" Flynn asked worriedly.

"What else?" Squint scoffed. "We keep on going. Full steam ahead!"

"Who put you in charge, shorty?" Raz sneered.

"Think about it." Squint smirked. "Gutt made me first mate. Now that he's gone, that makes me captain!"

Boris snorted petulantly.

"_S'il vous plait._" Silas scoffed. "Like anyone is going to fear a pirate crew that is led by a bunny."

"Bunny?!" Squint's ears stuck up, and his nose started twitching. "I'll show you who's a bunny, ya winged rat!"

"Knock it off!" Raz snarled.

"How dare you give your captain orders!" Squint rounded on the kangaroo. "I am the one who will honor Gutt's glorious legacy, and raise this crew to new heights-"

_"Vous et un idiot."_ Silas sneered. "Without Gutt, there is no crew. We are nothing."

"Oh, I don't wanna be nothin'!" Flynn yelped.

"He's right, ya know." Raz agreed. "Look at us: No ship, no Gutt, no Shira..."

"Captain's orders: Never mention that traitorous sabre's name in my prescense ever again!" Squint roared.

"Bottom line: We're done." Raz concluded. "The second we hit land, I'm getting off this boat, for good."

"Oui, mademoiselle." Silas nodded. "And I just may follow suit."

Boris grunted in agreement.

"Deserters!" Squint spat. "I oughta keelhaul the lot a' ya, right here an' now!"

"You an' who's army, shorty?" Raz demanded, looming over Squint. "Face it, this little game of pirates is over."

"Really?" Flynn asked "Who won?"

"The mammoth and his _amis_." Silas sighed.

"Not yet, they haven't!" Squint clenched his fists. "Some day, we'll come back and even the score!"

"Whaddaya mean 'we'?" Raz asked.

"I am captain, and you will listen to me!" Squint snarled.

"Yeah, right." Raz scoffed. "I'd like to see ya stop us jumpin' when we find land..."

And so, the pirates sailed on.

In spite of everything, the threats from both sides were groundless. When they finally did find land, no-one attempted to leave. Even when Squint continued to foist his leadership upon them, they stayed. And despite no-one obeying his orders, Squint never did follow through on his keelhauling promise. No matter how much they would deny it (Barring Flynn, of course), the pirates needed each other, because in the end, all they had left was each other.

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	6. Hanging Out

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Six: Hanging Out**

It was a normal morning for the sabre family. Dennis, Dawn, Snowfall and Stripes had had their breakfast, and Diego and Shira were giving them a demonstation of their parents' hunting abilities.

"Remember to stay low, kids." Diego demonstrated, crouching so his belly touched the ground.

"Try to feel the earth under your paws, so you don't make too much noise." Shira added.

The cubs weren't exactly enthralled by the display. In fact, they were bored. Fortunately for them, Peaches and Louis soon walked by.

"Hey guys." Peaches waved. What's up?"

"Not much." Dawn yawned.

"Where are you guys going?" Stripes asked.

"Oh, you know, just to hang out with our friends." Louis shrugged.

"Can we come?" Dennis asked.

"Pretty please?" Dawn added, putting on her best begging face.

"Uhhh, you better ask your folks." Peaches mumbled.

The cubs rounded on their parents, asking as one "Can we go? Please-please-please?"

Diego and Shira looked at each other.

"Well, it depends." Diego declared. "How far are you kids planning on going?"

"Not far." Louis answered. "Just a little ways past those trees over there."

"And you'll keep an eye on them, right?" Shira asked.

"We'll keep all our eyes on them." Peaches quipped.

"Okay then." Shira smiled. "The cubs can go with you."

"Yaay!" The cubs cheered.

"Just have them back by dinner, okay?" Diego told Peaches.

"You got it." Peaches saluted. "Let's go, guys!"

The group made their way through the small forest, meeting Peaches and Louis' friends: Ethan, Steffie, Meghan, and Katie.

"Hey, Peach." Ethan said in greeting. "Lou."

"Hold up." Steffie butted in. "What's with the kittens?"

"They asked if they could come." Peaches shrugged. "Their folks said it was okay."

"This ain't no cubsittin' service, ya know." Steffie retorted. "We're here to have fun, not look after a bunch of little kids."

"I'm not that little!" Stripes jumped. "I'm pretty much a grown-up over here!"

"Real cute, kitty-cat." Katie snorted.

"I'm not cute." Stripes huffed.

"Sure you are!" Meghan cooed, patting the cub on the head.

"Come on guys." Peaches insisted. "These kids are practically family to me."

"Okay, fine." Ethan decided. "You win, Peach. They can come."

"Thanks, Ethan." Peaches smiled warmly. Though she no longer held any romantic feelings for him, she still considered him a good friend.

The group made their way through the forest, soon finding an obstacle: A fallen tree blocking the path. The mammoths tried to lift it out of the way, but it kept getting snagged on a branch of another tree.

"This is bad." Ethan grunted.

"Maybe we can help." Dennis offered.

"You shorties?" Steffie snorted. "Yeah, right!"

Dennis and Dawn leapt onto the fallen tree.

"Lift it up again, please." Dawn asked.

Ethan did as he was asked. The cubs padded over to the obstructive branch and, using their teeth and claws, managed to snap it off, enabling Ethan to finally move the tree aside.

"Pretty smart thinking, little dudes." He smiled.

"It was nothing." Dennis smiled.

"Easy-peasy." Dawn smirked.

"That's my smart little cousins!" Peaches chuckled.

"Nice work, guys." Louis added.

The group continued on their way. As they passed the last of the tree, they reached a large clearing. There were flowers dotted around the lush green grass. There was a lake, the source of which was a waterfall cascading down from above.

"Suh-weet!" Katie cheered.

"Looks like we found us a new hangout!" Meghan whooped.

The group spread out over the clearing. Stripes spotted a small group of rocks against a cliff face.

"Hey, check this out!" He declared.

Leaping off the ground, he pounced from from rock to another, leapt against the rocky wall, and pressed himself off it with all four paws, landing on Wally's back.

"Dude!" Ethan gasped. "That was awesome!"

"That's me." Stripes boasted as he leapt down to Earth. "Totally awesome."

"Oh, yeah?" Snowfall countered. "Try this!"

Snowfall performed a similar trick, jumping for a rock to a log, and finally bringing down a pine cone from a nearby tree.

"Catch, anyone?" She smiled, kicking the cone across the clearing.

"I'm game." Peaches smiled. "How about you, Louis?"

"You bet!" Louis grinned.

"Okay then." Ethan nodded. "How about mammoths versus Louis and the cubs."

"Bring it on!" Stripes smirked.

And so the game began. Louis, being the smallest mammal, was at something of a disadvantage, until Dennis lifted him onto his back, whereupon they performed an impressive catch.

As the day wore on, the kids had more and more fun. Eventually, tired out, they laid down on the grass for a rest.

"I gotta admit, Peach made a good call inviting you guys." Steffie confessed. "You can hang with us anytime."

"Really?" Dawn asked.

"Really." Steffie smiled, nodding to Katie and Meghan.

Katie and Meghan picked some flowers from the ground, and placed them on Dawn and Snowfall's heads.

"It's official." Steffie grinned. "You're all a part of the posse."

"Awesome!" Stripes cheered.

"Got that right." Ethan smiled. "Now, bring it in."

Ethan shared trunk/paw bumps with Dennis and Stripes.

"Oh, its getting late." Peaches said, noting the descending sun. "We'd better get you back to your parents.

"Aww!" Snowfall sighed. "We can come back tommorow, right?"

"Most definitely, girlfriend." Steffie nodded.

With Peaches and Louis leading, the cubs were brought back to their parents.

"Hey kids." Diego greeted his offspring.

"How'd it go?" Shira asked.

"It was great!" Dennis cheered.

"We're gonna hang out again tomorrow." Dawn declared. "If that's okay with you." She quickly added.

"Absolutely." Diego smiled.

"Now, come get your dinner." Shira pointed out the gazelle carcass beside them.

The cubs ate, their bellies empty from a day of fun with their new friends, with the promise of more fun-filled days yet to come.

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	7. His Niece

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Seven: His Niece**

Diego watched as his cubs raced off with Peaches. It seemed like only yesterday Peaches was their age, and now, she was so grown up and responsible. As her honorary uncle, Diego couldn't be prouder of her.

He remembered the first time he laid eyes, mere moments after her birth. She was a round, fluffy ball of sweetness. Once the herd had returned to the surface, Ellie offered to let Diego have a closer look. The macho saber tried to decline, but was pushed into it. For a moment, the calf and the cat just looked at each other. Then, Peaches tentatively stepped forward, and nuzzled against Diego's side. It was enough to warm even the most hard of hearts, and Diego gladly nuzzled her back.

As Peaches grew, Diego preferred to not get too close to her, fearing his sensitive side might show, which would set him up for endless jibes from Sid, Crash and Eddie.

But one day, Manny and Ellie desired some time alone. With Crash and Eddie out being daredevils, and Sid nowhere to be found, it fell to Diego to act as babysitter. Neither Diego nor Manny were too pleased about it. Manny held no prejudice against his friend, but felt he wasn't the babysitting type, which Diego agreed with wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, Ellie was adamant on having a romantic day out with Manny, "Even if I have to drag you by your trunk" being her exact words.

So the two mammoths left, leaving the reluctant Diego with Peaches. By then, Peaches had begun talking, and so gurgled a cheery "Hi!"

"Hey, kid." Diego replied gruffly.

"Wanna play?" Peaches asked.

"I, uh, don't do 'play'." Diego told her.

"Please?" Peaches begged, her green eyes gleaming.

"Oh, fine." Diego sighed. "What do you wanna play?"

"Tag!" Peaches yelped, tapping Diego with her trunk before running off, giggling.

Diego came after the young mammoth, catching up to and pouncing on her. They landed a little roughly. As Peaches got to her feet, she sniffled.

"Sorry, sorry!" Diego apologised, patting her head in an attempt to soothe. "This is why I don't play. I'm a little too rough for ya, kid. Tell you what, why don't we play something a little less... physical?"

Looking around, Diego spotted a small melon on the ground nearby.

"Let's try this." He offered.

Moving over to the melon, Diego pushed it with his paw, rolling it over to Peaches.

"Now, back to me." He told her.

Giggling, Peaches kicked the melon back to Diego, who returned it to her. They went back and forth for a while, before Peaches decided to mix things up. Sucking the melon into her trunk, Peaches fired it into the air, where it came on Diego's head.

Peaches giggled immensely, rolling on to her back.

"Real funny, kid." Diego grimaced as he wiped the melon juice off his face.

As Diego got to his feet, Peaches stared at him intently.

"What's the problem?" Diego asked, nonplussed.

Without warning, Peaches suddenly started pulling at his tail.

"Ow!" Diego yelled. "What'd you do that for?"

"Tail broke." Peaches said. "I fix."

"Fix?" Diego asked. "Oh, I get it. Look kid, I'm a saber. Our tails are supposed to be like this."

"Weird." Peaches shrugged. "Like your tusks."

"My _teeth_ are not weird." Diego griped.

"Weird, weird, weird!" Peaches chimed mockingly.

"Oh, yeah?" Diego suddenly grinned.

Quick as a flash, Diego began tickling Peaches with the flats of his paw. The mammoth calf squealed with laughter.

"Stop! Stop!" Peaches giggled helplessly. "Okay! You not weird! You not weird!"

Diego stopped.

"Thank you." He grinned.

"No fair." Peaches pouted, before grinning again. "My turn!"

Using her trunk, Peaches started blowing raspberries on Diego's stomach. This time, it was the saber's turn to laugh helplessly.

"Hey, quit it!" Diego demanded between breathes.

With Diego on his back, Peaches took the opportunity to pin him. Her three hundred pound frame ensured there was no escape from her onslaught.

"Okay, I give!" Diego gasped. "You win!"

Pleased with herself, Peaches climbed of Diego.

"Nice pin there, kid." Diego said breathlessly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say there's a little saber under all that mammoth."

Diego gently poked Peaches's stomach.

"Unca Diego funny." Peaches chuckled. She then nuzzled against him. "Love you, unca Diego."

Taken aback by the sudden affection, Diego stood dumbfounded for a moment.

"I love you too, kiddo." He said finally, wrapping a foreleg around her shoulders.

In response, Peaches gently curled her trunk around Diego's neck.

Diego relished the memory of that day. Not too long before, he would have considered the notion of being an uncle to a mammoth ridiculous. Nowadays, he couldn't ask for a better niece.

How ironic, that the young mammoth he once babysat for was now babysitting his own offspring. For the first time, Diego realised how Manny must have felt when he realised his daughter was growing up, a feeling he would surely experience firsthand when his own cubs were full-grown. It was a daunting thought, but if they turned out even half as well as Peaches did, Diego couldn't be prouder of them.

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	8. Life With Granny

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Eight: Life With Granny**

The sun rose over the valley where the herd of travellers had made their home. Sid the sloth awoke goggily, releasing his grip from the branch of the tree he slept upon. Dropping to the ground, he stretch his limbs, and let out a loud yawn. Suddenly, he was hit on the head by a large stick.

"Dagnabbit, I'm tryin' to sleep!" Came a cranky voice from inside the tree.

It was Sid's Granny. She had taken to sleeping within the hollow of the tree, and did not kindly to what she considered a rude awakening.

"Morning, Granny." Sid sighed as he rubbed his head.

"What's so good about it?" Granny sneered. "Well? Ain'tcha gonna help me out of here? Ya think an old timer like me can climb down all by herself? Ya want me to break some bones?!"

"No, not at all!" Sid protested. Standing on a nearby boulder, he reached up and lifted Granny out.

"When's the last time you trimmed those claws, Sidney?" Granny asked sourly. "Feels like I just got my sides pierced!"

"Sorry, Granny!" Sid apologised. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Don't care." Granny shook her head.

"We could go berry-picking down by the ridge." Sid offered.

"Whatever." Granny shrugged. "You seen my dentures anywhere?"

Some wondered why Sid put up with his Granny's sour attitude. The simple true was that she was family. And, though he would never admit it, Sid was aware of how annoying he could be sometimes. In spite of his irritating qualities, Sid's friends had stood by him. Sid considered it his duty to stand by Granny too.

Unfortunately, Granny seldom returned the favor. She would often wander off for hours on end, leaving Sid searching fruitlessly returning to their sleeping spot only when she felt like it. Any time Sid offered help Granny hadn't asked for, she accused him of "babying" her. Any attempts at friendly conversation were usually countered by a dour "Don't care." Worst of all, though, were Granny's forcing of Sid to help with her personal hygiene. She would make him pick the filth from between her toes, wash out her shark-tooth dentures, and perhaps worst of all, scrub her mangy, skin flaking, wrinkled old back. The mere thought of that back caused Sid to shudder. Much as he would have loved to refuse her commands, Sid never would. She was the only biological family member he had left, and he was determined to keep her. All the same, he often wished she could show some appreciation for all he did, just once.

At the end of the day, the two sloth shuffled home.

"Those were some tasty berries, huh Granny?" Sid smiled.

"Eh, I've had better." Granny snorted.

As they rounded the corner, they were greeted by an unwelcome sight; Their tree had been felled, snapped clean in two, right at the hollow. Peaches and her mammoth friends stood close by, guilty looks on their faces.

"What happened to the tree?" Sid asked.

"Sorry, uncle Sid." Peaches came forward. "We were playing pinecone catch and, well..."

"Let's just say I went a little _too_ long." Ethan said sheepishly.

"Lousy kids." Granny griped. "Knockin' down an old lady sleepin' place. You oughta be ashamed!"

"Easy, Granny." Sid attempted to mollify her. "It was just an accident."

"Accident, shmaccident!" Granny yelled. "Where am I gonna sleep now?"

"Well, I guess we can just lean against the trunk for now." Sid suggested. "We can go find a new tree tomorrow."

"Fine." Granny huffed.

As night fell, the two sloths tried to sleep. Trying to get comfortable, Sid noticed Granny shivering. It was a windy night, and the old sloth was weathering it a lot worse then Sid. Suddenly, the young sloth was struck by inspiration. Grabbing leaves and creepers that had been knocked loose by the tree fall, he tied them together, forming a crude blanket. He then placed the blanket over Granny.

"You looked a little chilly." Sid told his bemused elder.

"Thanks, Sidney." Granny smiled, drawing the blanket around her. "You're such a good boy, takin' care of your old Granny like this."

Sid beamed at this statement of appreciation.

"But if you wake me with your goldarn snoring again, so help me, I'll use my walking stick to beat ya black and blue!" Granny added, before quickly falling asleep.

_'Oh, well.'_ Sid thought to himself. _'Easy come, easy go.'_

**To Be Continued...**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios.)_


	9. Party Time

**Ice Age Anthology**

**Chapter Nine: Party Time**

A year had passed since the herd had found their new home. They decided to mark the occasion with a celebration. As night fell, Sid used his uncanny ability to make fire to bring a little light. A large amount of food, gathered over the last few days, was piled up on one side. There was a pile for the vegetarians, and a pile for the meat-eaters.

The Hyrax had constructed crude musical instruments out of sticks and leaves, and were currently blowing out a jaunty tune. Crash and Eddie were "conducting" the natural orchaestra with a pair of sticks, Crash standing on top of Eddie, until their sticks collided, and the twins entered into a slap fight. Undeterred, the Hyrax kept on playing, as the herd and their friends were dancing to the music. Ellie pulled a reluctant Manny onto the dance floor.

"C'mon, Mr. Stick-in-the-mud." Ellie playfully chided her mate. "Shake that thing!"

"Okay, you asked for it!" Manny whooped, shimmying his hips wildly.

Meanwhile, Diego and Shira were fruitlessly attempting to corral their excited offspring.

"Can we eat first?" Asked Stripes.

"No, let's dance first!" Dawn retorted.

"Easy, kids." Diego sighed. "There's plenty of time to do everything."

"Your father's right, kids." Shira added. "Just relax and enjoy yourselves."

"Last one to the snack pile has fleas!" Snowfall leapt forward.

"Hey, no fair!" Dennis protested, leading the others in a dash for the food.

"While they're busy, what do you say we show everyone our moves, softy?" Shira asked, nuzzling her mate.

"You read my mind, kitty." Diego smirked as he returned the nuzzle.

The two sabers strutted over to the dance floor.

Peaches and Louis were hanging out with their friends. Peaches smirkingly noted Ethan asking Steffie to dance. After a failed attempt to romance Peaches, Ethan had gotten steadily closer to the flower-wearing female. Peaches, showing no hard feelings for the days when Steffie would make fun of her for being "half-possum" wished them nothing but the best. For the moment, Peaches had no romantic targets of her own, preferring instead to be in the company of friends and family. With this in mind, she lifted Louis up on her trunk.

"Wanna dance, Louis?" She asked.

"Dance?" Louis asked nervously. "You... me? I'd love to!"

Peaches started swaying in time to the music, while Louis danced on her trunk.

Meanwhile, Sid had been roped into waltzing with Granny. It was so embarassing, and, as he discovered when she stepped on his foot, painful.

"Speed it up there, Sidney!" Granny complained. "I'm an old sloth, not an old slug!"

"Having fun, kids?" Ellie asked Peaches and her friends.

"This party is tai-eeet!" Ethan declared.

"It ain't half bad." Steffie agreed. "'Course, it could use some vocalisin', if ya know what I mean."

"Great idea." Ethan smiled. "Hey Peach, you wanna give it a try?"

"Me?" Peaches asked.

"Why not?" Ellie grinned. "You _do_ have a beautiful voice, honey."

"Among other things..." Louis sighed dreamily.

"Okay, I'll give I'll give it a try." Peaches shrugged. She walked to the centre of the plain where the party was being held. After her parents had informed the partygoers, they looked upon with baited breath. "Okay... Uh, here's a little song I came up with. It was inspired by everything I've been through these last couple of years, and I hope you like it.

Stopping only to clear her throat, Peaches began to sing.

_We are, we are_  
_Not your ordinary fami-mily_  
_But we can all agree that_  
_We are, we are_  
_Close as close can be_

_So it don't matter what it looks like_  
_We look perfect to me_  
_We got every kind of lover_  
_We're so lucky indeed_  
_They can keep on talking_  
_It don't matter to me cause_  
_We are, we are family_

_We are are are are (We are are)_  
_We are are are are (We are are)_  
_We are are are are (We are are)_  
_We are, we are family, family, family_  
_We are, we are family_

_So what?_  
_We don't look, we don't act_  
_We don't walk, we don't talk_  
_Like you do_  
_So what?_  
_If we hang just a hang and no shame_  
_We both do what we want to_

_Cause we come from everywhere_  
_Searching for ones to care_  
_Somehow we found it here_  
_We found us a home_

_We are, we are_  
_Not your ordinary fami-mily_  
_But we can all agree that_  
_We are, we are_  
_Close as close can be_

_So it don't matter what it looks like_  
_We look perfect to me_  
_We got every kind of lover_  
_We're so lucky indeed_  
_They can keep on talking_  
_It don't matter to me cause_  
_We are, we are family_

_Ok, so the links in our chains makes us strange_  
_But really they make us stronger_  
_And no one would replace not a thing_  
_Mother or father_  
_Cause we…_

_Cause we come from everywhere_  
_Searching for ones to care_  
_Somehow we found it here_  
_We found us a home_

_We are, we are_  
_Not your ordinary fami-mily_  
_But we can all agree that_  
_We are, we are_  
_Close as close can be_

_So it don't matter what it looks like_  
_We look perfect to me_  
_We got every kind of lover_  
_We're so lucky indeed_  
_They can keep on talking_  
_It don't matter to me cause_  
_We are, we are family_

_(Family)_  
_(We are, we are)_  
_We are, we are family_

The crowd of animals cheered.

"That's my girl!" Manny grinned.

"Nice pipes, sweetie!" Granny yelled.

"That's my niece!" Diego called.

"That's our big cousin!" Stripes whooped.

"That's my best friend." Louis smiled, placing his hand on the side of Peaches' foot.

Peaches beamed, overwhelmed by the adulation.

The original herd had been brought together by circumstance, but they stayed together because of a mutual bond. Today, that bond was stronger then it had ever been. For they were more then just friends. Just as Peaches had sang, they were family.

**The End.**

_(Ice Age and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Bluesky Studios. We Are is the property of Ester Dean.)_


End file.
